VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0346 1201313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291313Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8866
INFO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1018
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0194
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0965
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0110
RHMFIUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000346 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS/PARIS/LONDON/MOSCOW FOR FAA REPS 
FAA FOR API-1/AFS-50/AGC-7; DOT FOR X45/C20 
STATE FOR EEB/TRA/OTP KRISTIN GUSTAVSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON PREL HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA ON FAA REQUEST FOR FINAL DISCUSSION 
 
REF: SECSTATE 43818 
 
¶1. Econ Officer delivered reftel letter and report to Mr. 
Damir Vince, Director General of the Croatian Civil Aviation 
Authority on April 25, 2008. A copy of the report was also 
shared on the same date with Betty Pavelic-Sirois, Head of 
the North America Department at the Croatian Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs. Ambassador is scheduled to meet with 
Transport Minister Bozidar Kalmeta on April 30 and will 
deliver same. 
 
¶2. DG Vince told Econ Off that the problems uncovered in the 
IASA process were not new, but that he and the Government 
were committed to resolving them as expeditiously as 
possible.  Furthering this point, he provided a copy of a 
Government decision of April 18 bearing the Prime Minister's 
signature, authorizing the appointment of the members of the 
new Civil Aviation Agency.  The Agency, which will be 
independent and self-financing, will take on most oversight 
functions from the Authority and will be free of the civil 
service salary caps that have hindered the hiring of 
qualified personnel, according to Vince.  The Government has 
also set up a working group to review the findings of all 
external assessments of the Civil Aviation Authority since 
2002, including IASA, and make recommendations for 
improvements. 
 
¶3. Both Vince and Pavelich-Sirois asked Econ Off about the 
timing of the final discussion and were under the impression 
that delivery of the report started a formal 60 day period 
for the GOC to respond and correct problems.  Econ Off 
explained that there is no formal time frame, but that the 
IASA process usually takes 120 days from start to finish. 
Pavelich-Sirois noted, however, that in keeping with such a 
time frame the GOC would have received the report much 
earlier, thereby allowing for a longer window before the 
scheduling of the final discussion.  Vince also noted that 
the proposed visit the week of May 19 was complicated in 
light of on-going work at the Ministry during that time. 
Vince indicated that the week beginning June 9, while still 
earlier than he hoped, would be workable on the Croatian side. 
 
¶4. Post Recommendation: Given the differing expectations as 
to the period of time between the delivery of the report and 
the scheduling of the final discussion, together with the 
fact that Vince and the CAA are currently heavily involved 
with the creation of the Civil Aviation Agency, Post 
recommends accepting the June 9 date for the scheduling of 
the final discussion. The Croatian side has been constructive 
and responsive throughout this process, but given the 
likelihood of a negative finding, Post believes it is 
important that the Croatians feel they have had adequate time 
to digest the specifics of the written report prior to facing 
the reality of the final discussion visit.  Although slightly 
short of the 60 days the Croatians expected they would have, 
scheduling the visit for the week of June 9 is acceptable to 
the Croatian side and represents only a three week delay from 
the dates proposed in reftel. 
Bradtke